La Strada

PRAGUE CHAMBER BALLET

Choreography: Jiří Bubeníček, world-class choreographer

Duration of the performance: 80 minutes

World premiere: March 10, 2024, Theater na Vinohrady

A thrilling story about love and cruelty from the circus environment based on the film of the same name by Federico Fellini

"Every magic has its dark place, and every dark place creates something magical."

"The circus is a fantastic and enchanting wonderland that attracts generations of audiences. I was born into a circus family, and this wonderful environment full of fantasy thus became an immediate part of my childhood and my soul. Through the circus, we enter the world of magic, which is full of excitement and adventure. Through laughter and unexpected surprises, it brings people moments of hope and happiness. But many times the dark side of the circus is hidden under the glittering facade, which reflects the harsh reality of our society."

La Strada tells the story of the innocently naive, kind and kind-hearted Gelsomina, who is sold by her family to the rude itinerant circus performer Zampano. The narrative follows their tumultuous relationship while traveling through Italy. The winding path of the story, which winds through the countryside, brings us closer to their intertwined relationship full of trials and dramatic moments, and reveals the touching journey of Gelsoma, a soul full of kindness and love, to the rude Zampano. Another layer of La Strada's story, the tragic end of Gelsomina, serves as a poignant catalyst that reveals the depth of Zampana's feelings. The narration thus turns into an emotional probe into Zampan's soul and personality, indelibly affected by the influence that Gelsomina left on him.

Jiří Bubeníček is a Czech dancer and choreographer.

His identical twin is the dancer Otto Bubeníček.

He was born in 1974 into a circus family in Lubin, Poland, where their circus performed. During training at a circus school, a professor from the conservatory noticed both brothers and directed them to ballet. In 1993, he completed his studies at the Dance Conservatory in Prague, then went to the Hamburg State Opera, where he became a soloist two years later. Since 1999, he has also been engaged in choreography. In 2006, he went to the Semperoper in Dresden, where he works as the first soloist of the ballet and as a choreographer. In 2019, he prepared the choreography for the ballet adaptation of The Process, which was performed by the Royal Swedish Ballet on the stage of the Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm.

Awards: Prix de Lausanne (1992)

Benois de la danse Award (2002) for the role of Armand Duval in The Lady with the Camellias

2nd prize at the international ballet competition in Varna for the choreography Made on Earth to the music of Christian Zehnder (2002)

Mary Wigman Award (2013)

Gratias Agit Award for spreading the good name of the Czech Republic in the world (2016/